Sermons of M. John Calvin upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the GalatiansSermons of M. Iohn Caluine vpon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Galathians

Therefore let every of us summon him self evening and morning, and as oft as we look upon our sinn•• let them be as spurs to prick us and provoke us to repair unto God, so as we may not […] brute beasts, nor be held back in this world, but that our necessity may always drive us too resort too our Lord Jesus Christ. ⟨p. 323⟩Thus ye see how we may glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Saint Paul hath purposely spoken here of the cross, because the matter that he dealt with, was the pulling down, and as it were the treading under foot, of all loftiness which men aspire unto. For we will needs be always somewhat of our selves, and hold still some worthiness. To the end therefore that we might be discharged of that wicked affection: Saint Paul telleth us that Jesus Christ the son of God can not be our glory, but only in respect that he was crucified for us. And hereupon ensueth that which he addeth, namely that we shall be crucified to the world, and the world to us, when we shall have learned to glory in the only mere grace that is brought us by our lord Jesus Christ. As how? surely they that are not crucified to the world, that is to say, they that covet to be in some authority, and to set out them selves, they that desire to be honoured and exalted, and (to be short) they that are drawn hither and thither of their lusts, do not yet know what it is too glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: for they should have begun at the foresaid point, that is too wit, of being confounded in them selves. Therefore not without cause doth S. Paul say, that for as much as he had settled his glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, he had quite forsaken and given over the world. Now by the world he meaneth all that is delightsome to the flesh, as when men think neither upon God, nor upon the life of heaven, so as one is given to covetousness, another to ambition, and every man is driven by his own natural sway, and there is not any that passeth further than this world. When men follow their own swing, and God hath not yet touched them with his holy spirit to draw them too him: surely although they do all fling over the fields, and run astray: yet is there great diversity in their affections, so that if the matter come to trial, one draws one way, and another another way clean contrary:

Therefore let euery of vs summon him selfe euening and morning, and as oft as we looke vpon our sinn•• let them be as spurres to pricke vs and prouoke vs to repayre vnto God, so as wee may not brute beastes, nor be hilde backe in this world, but that our necessitie may alwayes driue vs too resorte too our Lorde Iesus Christ.